Take Me Back
by Insanity under the moonlight
Summary: The two survivors of a midnight attack find a final refuge in a 50's style diner that's managed to stay virtually untouched by the apocalypse outside. They just wanted to stay there forever and dance to the music. Pre-established Prucan. Zombie!AU prompt. Swearing.


_Prompt: I really want to see a couple (already previously established) find their way into a 50's style diner that has been virtually untouched since the apocalypse has started. Being completely alone, besides themselves, and low on ammo, it's a Godsend. I really just want fluff and hiding out and trying to make the best of their situation while they know this can't last forever. _

_Whether they get out or not is up to author!anon. If they do die, though, please let it be by their own choice and not because of the zombies. I'd really love love love to see this with a Spamano fill, but I'm open to PruHun, FrUK, PortugalxBelgium or something else entirely. Just no RusAme or USUK or incest ships. _  
_Bonus- if not Spamano or one of these above, a rare pair is definitely appreciated~ Bonus- They get out because a group of people they were separated from finds them. Bonus- a box of old cassettes with all kinds of oldies music is found and they play it on their little radio. Lots of dancing ensues._

To be honest I lost the prompt so when I randomly found the inspiration for it I couldn't remember the request exactly. Luckily it still falls under the guidelines so I hope you're satisfied Anon.

The song used/quoted was Call It Stormy Monday by T-bone Walker, you should listen.

* * *

"…It almost got me..." He said in shock.

"…I know."

The place the learned to call home was compromised and the people they learned to call brothers and sisters were dead.

They managed to escape without fatal injury and took shelter in an old abandoned diner that seemed to be untouched by the hell outside aside from unhealthy amounts of dust.

The sound of hungry moans and rotting fingers clawing at boards was a dull roar. Like static from a radio that's gone out of range, they were disconnected from the rest of the world.

"It's strange. It's like this place is frozen in time…" Matthew said in wonder as he admired all he antiques of an era long passed. Checkered tile floors and booth tables, dead neon signs and filth-caked glasses, faded posters of girls in poodle skirts and guys wearing black leather jackets with gel slicked hair.

Matthew sat down on a cushioned barstool that squeaked under the sudden weight.

"Music," Gilbert said spontaneously. "If this really is a fifties diner there's a jukebox somewhere." He said confidently as he peered around the dark room.

It didn't matter that a jukebox blaring music would undoubtedly attract more attention than a little light, anything bright had no place in this dark world aside from the angry burning of a fire.

Matthew scanned the dingy room from ceiling to floor in one careful motion with practiced ease and located the retro machine. "That wall over there – to your left." He directed.

"Thanks." Gilbert said absently as he ambled towards it and checked the back to see if it was plugged in.

Outside was getting louder.

Gilbert watched it light up as power coursed through it.

"Yes!" He cheered with a fist-pump. Not all of the bulbs were working and the names of the songs were too faded to read but it functioned and that was all that mattered. Not that he would have recognised any of the songs anyways. "Alright Birdie, pick a number between one and thirty."

Matthew took a moment to think.

"How about lucky number twelve in honour of all our dead friends?"

"We have way more than twelve dead friends." Gilbert said humourlessly.

But Matthew chuckled bitterly anyways.

"Twelve it is." He said as he pressed the button.

No music.

"The heck?" He mumbled to himself as he tried hitting the machine. It did seem quite old; in fact Matthew was surprised it managed to turn on.

You learned to live by hoping for the best yet expecting the worse.

"Piece of crap!" Gilbert yelled before kicking it in frustration.

"Maybe it's coin operated?" Matthew suggested.

Gilbert looked, and sure enough there was a coin slot.

"Oh for fucks sake! You got a quarter on you?" Gilbert asked in vain.

Money quickly lost value when people realized you couldn't eat it, drink it, fight and defend with it or use it to pay zombie to leave you alone.

"No, but I'm sure there's something in the register. It doesn't look like this place was looted." Matthew said as he hopped over the counter and was fortunate enough to locate a tip jar half-full of change and bills first.

Another survival trick learned. Look for the easiest method to get the same result. The more energy you conserve the more you have for running when it counts.

"Catch!" Matthew warned before he lobbed the jar.

Gilbert made no effort to save it and they both watched as it shattered on the ground.

The deadly choir outside did a crescendo in response.

"Ah, shut up!" Gilbert yelled before stooping over to collect a handful of change and threw it at the boarded windows. Sighing he picked up a quarter and used it for its intended purpose this time.

"Number twelve it is…" He muttered before pressing the twelfth button.

The sound quality was poor but it was still loud enough to make them flinch as it echoed off the walls, filling the room with music and drowning out the horrors that could have just as easily been in the back room. If they ever had a chance of escape before it was surely gone now.

"Can I have this dance?" Gilbert said as he held out a hand in invitation.

"I don't know, I can't really dance." Matthew said, yet he walked back around the counter anyways.

"Hey, neither can I. So I thought why not step on each other's toes?" Gilbert walked to the middle of the dirty diner, kicking the shards of glass and change to the sides.

"Well…can't argue with that logic." Matthew said as he met him halfway and put his hand in his as they pressed up close together.

They started to gently sway.

"…The world really is fucked." Gilbert said over Matthew's shoulder without sorrow.

"No, this is the part where you look all shocked and blush that shade of red." Matthew chided jokingly.

"Take me back there." Gilbert said tiredly as he closed his eyes.

And Matthew closed his eyes too as he re-immersed himself in the memory.

"Then you arch a white eyebrow at me when I wipe my sweaty palms onto my nice black pants but take my warm hand anyways…and you make me lead even after you found out I really did have two left feet and you could've danced with the best of 'em but you lied because you only wanted to dance with me…wearing that ridiculous lavender suit that only you could pull off…" Matthew reminisced as they slowly turned. They just focused on the rasping of a saxophone, the strumming of the bass, the tinkling ivory piano keys and the man singing slowly of woes.

Gilbert chuckled at that "It matched your eyes."

"…want to take it?"

Gilbert stilled them.

For a moment they just listened to the guitar solo.

Matthew slowly backed away so they could be face to face.

Gilbert slowly opened his eyes to bore into Matthew's soft violet.

"Only if you want to. You hold my heart so only you can stop it."

No man should hold that kind of power.

"…I just want to stay here forever. I'm tired of scavenging and running and killing, crying, waking in this hell, watching people die. Waiting to die, waiting for you to die because let's be honest this isn't going to end. It's not going to get cured in our lifetime if ever and everyone we've ever cared for – ever glanced at in the street or smiled for at work, is dead and gone." He said apathetically.

Gilbert didn't tear up. Nor was he surprised by the confession.

"Then we'll stay here forever." And he reached into his pocket and pulled out his tiny capsule.

After a moment Matthew did the same.

"When I look into your eyes for some reason I don't see blood. They're as red as wine yet all I see are hearts." Matthew confessed as he brushed the other man's pale cheek with his free hand.

"…You remind me of better times. You are the better times. I think I would have gone genuinely insane if I ever had to watch you turn. I would have let you devour me." Gilbert said with just as much weight in his words. Then before Matthew could open his mouth Gilbert put his pill to his lips with a soft hush.

Smiling Matthew put his pill to Gilbert's.

"_Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me…"_

Time couldn't touch them anymore.


End file.
